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Best Places to Buy Pie

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Thanksgiving weekend is upon us, and despite the unseasonably warm weather, that means it’s time to loosen your belt buckle and gorge on turkey, stuffing, and — most importantly — pie. Hamilton, and its surrounding area, is home to many bakeries and farmer’s markets that won’t require you to stand in line at a big box grocery store or spend hours making a pie on your own. Here are five of our favourite places to buy pie in Hamilton.

The Tiny Shop Bakery

Known as the “pie specialists,” the Tiny Shop Bakery has been in operation for over 30 years, creating exceptional baked goods that are made daily from scratch. While it’s known for its pies, it’s also worth stopping at for tarts, squares, cookies, and meat pies (including chicken, beef, and tourtiere). For the sneakiest among you, the Tiny Shop Bakery also sells frozen pies that you can bake yourself at home. With over 36 flavours of pie, it’s the best place to go if you’re looking for variety. It’s located on Highway 5 at the Hanes Corn Maze and pumpkin patch, so it’s a perfect place to bring the family.

Traditional family recipes and locally grown ingredients are the secrets behind the Punch Bowl Bakery’s light, flaky pies. While it specializes in all your favourites, including cherry pie, rhubarb pie, apple crumble, and pumpkin pie, you’ll also find peanut butter cream pie and raspberry cream pie. The Punch Bowl Market and Bakery is located in a 150-year-old barn located just minutes away from the Devil’s Punch Bowl, one of the Niagara Escarpments most breathtaking sights.

Hours:
Open daily
First weekend in April until Christmas Eve: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Open Thanksgiving weekend (Sunday and Monday)

Specializing in farm-fresh produce, a bakery and dairy bar, and locally raised meats, Dyments has been a family-run operation since the late 1800s! Pies, tarts, and breads are baked daily, including regular and crumble-top pies of many flavours that can be found in the pie bar. Dyments also has freshly prepared to-go meals, including chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, and even taco pie, which is pastry stuffed with sour cream, ground beef, Mexican seasonings, and cheese.

Hours:
Open daily
Good Friday until December 31: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Open Thanksgiving weekend (Sunday and Monday)

Chances are if you’re a Hamiltonian and you’re on Instagram, you’re used to drooling over Cake and Loaf’s daily creations both from their Dundurn Street location and at the Hamilton Farmer’s Market. On Sunday, October 8, Cake and Loaf’s Dundurn Street location will host their fourth annual Pie Pop-Up, where all their Thanksgiving menu pies will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They’ll also have some “top-secret” pies that will be announced the day of. Among the pies available this year are a pumpkin cheesecake pie with pralines and a salty honey pie, as well as a number of vegan options.

Located on the bottom level of the Hamilton Farmer’s Market, Lina’s European Pastries is one of the best places in the city to buy homemade cookies and pastries without having to spend a fortune. Lina’s pies, including apple and pumpkin, are affordable and unassuming, but full of flavour. Lina’s is also a coffee shop, so visit early for your morning cup of coffee.

Jessica Rose is writer, editor, and book reviewer whose blog Not My Typewriter has been exploring local literature, history, and the arts since 2011. You’re most likely to find her at home in the Stinson neighbourhood or drinking a Caesar on one of Hamilton’s many patios.